Consumers use the Internet to access numerous types of health-related information and services. For example, consumers log into insurance company or health care organization websites in order to view available products, apply for products, or utilize one of many services offered by health care organizations. The services offered by health-related organizations include pharmaceutical research and sales, health research, health news, and others.
An online interactive personal health record (PHR) may be accessed by a consumer in order to view, modify, and otherwise interact with the PHR. A consumer's PHR typically holds personal information from numerous sources including the consumer, the consumer's health care providers, and the consumer's health care organization or insurance company. The personal information stored in a PHR often includes information relating to the consumer's prescriptions, over-the-counter medications taken by the consumer, the consumer's health care providers, and appointments scheduled by the consumer.
Health care organizations typically offer online services to consumers and potential consumers. For example, a consumer portal of a health care organization may operate a website that offers the services described above, as well as health insurance-related services such as access to claims data, access to insurance products, services for claim disputes, and other health services.
Often consumers have one or more conditions that impair their ability to use equipment for accessing the Internet. For instance, a consumer with poor eyesight may not be able to read text on a webpage. A colorblind consumer may have trouble viewing the webpage depending on the colors used. Consumers may have impaired motor skills, perhaps from a disease such as Parkinson's, which makes it difficult to interact with a webpage by, for example, clicking buttons, selecting checkboxes or radio buttons, entering text, or clicking links. In general, there is a wide variety of conditions which can make it difficult for certain consumers to utilize web pages.